Acceptance Vs Action

Dear Aditya,

Have you ever found yourself frustrated when something you've worked hard on doesn't turn out as planned? Like, you've followed all the steps, done everything "right," and yet the outcome feels so wrong?

Let me tell you, I've been there.

I love making pickles. It's one of those small joys, mixing spices, the aroma of mustard oil, the anticipation of how it'll taste in a few days. A while back, I decided to try a mirchi pickle recipe I'd come across. It looked foolproof, so I followed it to the letter.

When it was finally ready, I was excited to try it. But one bite and I knew it hadn't worked. The flavour wasn't what I'd imagined, and something just felt off.

I felt dejected and, for a while, even thought about giving up on pickling altogether. But then, something shifted. Instead of obsessing over that one failed batch, I decided to try another recipe, a different kind of pickle. I accepted that not everything I try will work, and I moved forward with what I could do next.

This small experience reminded me of an important distinction: acceptance versus action.

Acceptance is often misunderstood as "giving up," but it's far from that. Acceptance is about making peace with what's beyond our control.

Action, on the other hand, is what we choose to do next. It's about stepping forward, not necessarily to "fix" things, but to keep moving.

This reminds me of a line from Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl:
"When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves."

So, here's a small exercise to try when you find yourself stuck between acceptance and action:

Pause: Take a moment to sit with the situation. What's within your control? What isn't?
Accept: Name one thing you can't change right now. Say it out loud, or write it down. Let yourself feel the freedom of letting it go.
Act: Identify one small, doable step you can take toward a solution or a new direction. Start there, no matter how small it seems.

Here's my question for you: What's one situation in your life right now where you can make peace with what is, and take a small step toward what could be?

I pray you find acceptance. Acceptance will automatically lead us to action (or non-action) whatever is needed.

In fratitude,
adi